If Leonard Cohen built a tower of just one song, it was “Hallelujah” — the subject of a film that hits theaters in July, “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song.” That documentary is inspired by music journalist Alan Light’s much-acclaimed book, “The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley & the Unlikely Ascent of ‘Hallelujah’,” originally published in 2012 and being reissued June 7 with substantial additions that have Light bringing the history of one of the 20th century’s most remarkably enduring songs forward into its arguably most impactful years yet.
In this excerpt from the afterward, exclusive to Variety, Light explores some of the unlikely lives that “Hallelujah” has taken on in recent years — starting with its adaptation into a country song, and especially focusing on how it’s become a favorite pick for singers to include on their Christmas albums, as a holiday hymn… quite a contrast to the more carnal connotations that many associate with the original lyrics. (Pre-order the new edition of Light’s book here.)
Our excerpt has Light picking up the song’s story in the 2010s:
“Hallelujah” continued making inroads into other genres of music. Country stars LeAnn Rimes, Brett Young, and Wynonna all performed the song. The night after Leonard Cohen’s death was announced, Keith Urban played it alone, with his acoustic guitar, at a Nashville concert; on his Facebook page, Urban posted the clip with the caption “RIP Leonard. And thank you for being a vessel of glory on high.” He repeated the song in an “In Memoriam”–style medley at his annual outdoor New Year’s Eve show in Nashville and posted another video playing it alone in his living room.
Modern-day outlaw Eric Church — who was named the Country Music Association’s 2020 Entertainer of the Year, has won Album of the Year at both the CMA and Academy of Country Music awards, and has racked up seven Number One country singles — was getting ready for his 2016 appearance at Colorado’s legendary Red Rocks amphitheater when Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” came up on his iPod. He decided he would take a shot at performing the song that night.
“I think it’s the most brilliant song ever written,” Church told filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine. “I know some people find sexual undertones in it, but for me, it’s a spiritual song. I think that the great thing about the song, and what makes the song special, is you’re able to attach so many different meanings from so many different people about the song. And they’re all right. None of ’em are wrong.”
Church describes his brawny, characteristically impassioned rendition of the song at Red Rocks — “I use to own this place before I knew ya,” he shouted—as one of the most memorable moments in his career. Following that performance, he opened the rest of the shows on the tour by play- ing Buckley’s recording, in full, with a single spotlight on a microphone stand at center stage. “Every night, the whole arena sings the song,” he said. “I’ve never found anyone that has said, ‘I just don’t get the song’ or ‘I don’t think it applies to me.’ You can look at the number of artists that have covered the song, from all different genres of music, and you can tell pretty quick that it’s just a timeless masterpiece.
“The thing about ‘Hallelujah’ is every time you hear the song, it feels like something big has just happened. You don’t just hear the song and pass by it and move to the next song. When you hear ‘Hallelujah,’ it feels important.”
“Hallelujah” may not be the easiest fit for country singers, but —…
Read More: How Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ Became an Unlikely Christmas Classic